Hi! My name is Marina Barraco and I’m a rising senior from Ursuline
Academy. Today 6/13/2018, we woke up at 6:00am and went to 6:30 mass in a small
chapel on the San Isidro site. We then went to breakfast where we were served
plantains, rice, beans, and bread. Afterwards we were asked to travel to our
sites, mine being Bamboo. Once arriving at Bamboo, a small church site, we were
asked to continue our previous work from the last day. I started off the
workday by brushing off moss from the walls behind the church. I made sure to
take water breaks every fifteen minutes because of the hot weather. Afterwards,
I went and scraped plaster from a brick wall and dug trenches in the ground
behind the church so bricks could be placed inside. After a while we were
called to eat lunch and were served rice, beef and vegetables, plantains, and some
type of pasta. After lunch I went back behind the church and made sure that the
dirt was leveled. In addition, I made foundations using beams until it began to
rain so I had to stop. Because of the rain we had to go back inside and started
to play mafia. The ladies were nice enough to provide us with rice pudding to eat
while it rained. After a long work day, we finally returned home and cleaned up
to begin our evening.
To my
family: I already miss you all so much but am having an amazing time here in
Costa Rica! I also want to wish Dad a happy father’s day since I won’t be there
to celebrate. Love you guys!
Marina
Barraco
Ursuline
Academy
Hello to all of the people
reading this. This is Chris Ivie, rising Senior at Bishop Dunne. It is just
about 8:00 pm here and boy do I have the angriest cramps right now! Playing guitar
at the masses has truly been blessing and I am so happy that I am providing all
of my talents for the Costa Ricans' disposal. Costa Rica is hands down the most
beautiful country ever! The amount of friends that I have made and the people
that I have met has truly touched me in so many different ways. Ultimately when
I came into this, I wondered what God was truly calling me to do. I understand
that He chose me as we as the others to serve, all with our different purposes.
It wasn’t until we all sat down and we all talked for the first time that I
found what my duty is. I am to work until my hands and knees give out, serving
God as much as I possibly can. It is when you are at your weakest points that
you find the greatest strength. I can’t tell you how appreciative I am of everything
that I have at home (especially a cold bedroom)! Today, June 13 of 2018, me and
some of the other missionaries talked about how it is up to us to live up to
our faith no matter what your background is. I think that it is in the midst of
true simplicity that we find the beauty of everything. I know that my family is
reading this chat board every day, waiting for me to write. So to my family;
Caden, you are probably one of my biggest inspirations with all of your
hardships and pain that you have persevered through. Theran, I know you are
keeping my bed warm and waiting for me to come swimming. Mom, I want you to
know that God will always put me on the right path. Dad, you need to know how
grateful I am for all of the suffering that you have been through just trying
to give our family the best life we can live. As a whole, I love y’all more
than y’all will ever know. Thank you to those who read this completely, and my
God Bless you!
Chris Ivie
Bishop Dunne
Catholic School
